Ventilation apparatus and ventilation method

Abstract

A ventilation apparatus includes a compressor; a first heat exchanger configured to function as a condenser or an evaporator; a first air flow path configured to supply air taken in from outdoors to an indoor space after passing through the first heat exchanger; a second heat exchanger configured to function as a condenser or an evaporator; a second air flow path configured to exhaust air taken in from the indoor space to the outdoors after passing through the second heat exchanger; a refrigerant circuit through which a refrigerant flows, the refrigerant circuit being connected to the compressor, the first heat exchanger, and the second heat exchanger by a refrigerant pipe; and a control unit configured to guide a flow of air in the indoor space to the second heat exchanger when the second heat exchanger is determined to be in a frosted state, to increase a temperature of the second heat exchanger, and configured to output a predetermined instruction to an actuator configured to control a state of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit to increase a temperature of the refrigerant flowing into the second heat exchanger.

1 . A ventilation apparatus comprising:
 a compressor;   a first heat exchanger configured to function as a condenser or an evaporator;   a first air flow path configured to supply air taken in from outdoors to an indoor space after passing through the first heat exchanger;   a second heat exchanger configured to function as a condenser or an evaporator;   a second air flow path configured to exhaust air taken in from the indoor space to the outdoors after passing through the second heat exchanger;   a refrigerant circuit through which a refrigerant flows, the refrigerant circuit being connected to the compressor, the first heat exchanger, and the second heat exchanger by a refrigerant pipe; and   a control unit configured to guide a flow of air in the indoor space to the second heat exchanger when the second heat exchanger is determined to be in a frosted state, to increase a temperature of the second heat exchanger, and configured to output a predetermined instruction to an actuator configured to control a state of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit to increase a temperature of the refrigerant flowing into the second heat exchanger.   
     
     
         2 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The ventilation apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the refrigerant circuit includes a second valve part configured to adjust an opening degree of a flow path, the second valve part being provided between the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger, and   when the second heat exchanger is determined to be in the frosted state while the second heat exchanger is functioning as an evaporator, the control unit outputs the predetermined instruction for increasing the opening degree adjusted by the second valve part as compared with before the second heat exchanger is determined to be in the frosted state.   
     
     
         6 . The ventilation apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third valve part provided downstream from the second valve part in a flow of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit while the second valve part is functioning as an evaporator, and   when the second heat exchanger is determined to be in the frosted state while the second heat exchanger is functioning as an evaporator, the control unit further outputs the predetermined instruction for decreasing the opening degree adjusted by the third valve part as compared with before the second heat exchanger is determined to be in the frosted state.   
     
     
         7 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The ventilation apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a plurality of the second heat exchangers are provided,   the second air flow path through which air taken in from the indoor space is exhausted to the outdoors is provided for each of the second heat exchangers, and   the control unit adjusts an air volume of air flowing through the second air flow path corresponding to the second heat exchanger based on a status of each of the plurality of the second heat exchangers.   
     
     
         11 . The ventilation apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein when a degree of frosting of one of the plurality of the second heat exchangers is greater than a degree of frosting of another one of the plurality of the second heat exchangers, the control unit implements control such that a first air volume of the second air flow path corresponding to the one of the plurality of the second heat exchangers is increased as compared with a second air volume of the second air flow path corresponding to the other one of the plurality of the second heat exchangers. 
     
     
         12 . The ventilation apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein when implementing control to increase the first air volume, the control unit implements control to decrease the second air volume as compared with before increasing the first air volume. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The ventilation apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a switching mechanism configured to switch between whether to supply air from the indoor space or to supply air from the outdoors as air flowing through the second air flow path, and   the control unit controls the switching mechanism to supply air starting from air having a higher detected temperature between the air from the indoor space and the air from the outdoors.   
     
     
         15 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The ventilation apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein when the second heat exchanger is determined to be in the frosted state, the control unit further transmits, to an air conditioner, a signal indicating not to perform a defrosting operation. 
     
     
         18 . A ventilation apparatus comprising:
 a compressor;   a first heat exchanger configured to function as a condenser or an evaporator;   a first air flow path indicating a flow path allowing to exhaust air taken in from outdoors to an indoor space after passing through the first heat exchanger;   a second heat exchanger configured to function as a condenser or an evaporator;   a second air flow path indicating a flow path allowing to exhaust air taken in from the indoor space to the outdoors after passing through the second heat exchanger;   a refrigerant circuit through which a refrigerant flows, the refrigerant circuit being connected to the compressor, the first heat exchanger, and the second heat exchanger by a refrigerant pipe; and   a control unit configured to output a predetermined instruction to cause the second heat exchanger to function as a condenser and to cause the first heat exchanger to function as an evaporator, to an actuator configured to control a state of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit to increase a temperature of the refrigerant flowing into the second heat exchanger, when the second heat exchanger is determined to be in a frosted state while the second heat exchanger is functioning as an evaporator.   
     
     
         19 . The ventilation apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein when the second heat exchanger is determined to be in the frosted state while the second heat exchanger is functioning as an evaporator, the control unit outputs the predetermined instruction and switches a flow of air in the first air flow path to be exhausted to the outdoors from the indoor space. 
     
     
         20 . The ventilation apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein when the second heat exchanger is determined to be in the frosted state while the second heat exchanger is functioning as an evaporator, the control unit further switches a flow of air in the second air flow path to be supplied to the indoor space from the outdoors. 
     
     
         21 . The ventilation apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first casing configured to house the first heat exchanger and at least a part of the first air flow path; and   a second casing configured to house the second heat exchanger and at least a part of the second air flow path, wherein   the first casing and the second casing are separable.   
     
     
         22 . A ventilation method using a plurality of ventilation apparatuses provided in a predetermined space, each of the ventilation apparatuses including:
 a compressor;   a first heat exchanger configured to function as a condenser or an evaporator;   a first air flow path configured to supply air taken in from outdoors to an indoor space after passing through the first heat exchanger;   a second heat exchanger configured to function as a condenser or an evaporator;   a second air flow path configured to exhaust air taken in from the indoor space to the outdoors after passing through the second heat exchanger; and   a refrigerant circuit through which a refrigerant flows, the refrigerant circuit being connected to the compressor, the first heat exchanger, and the second heat exchanger by a refrigerant pipe, wherein   a control unit that controls the plurality of ventilation apparatuses executes:
 acquiring a frosted state of the plurality of the second heat exchangers; 
 generating a plurality of patterns for performing a defrosting operation for the plurality of the second heat exchangers when the plurality of the second heat exchangers are determined to be in the frosted state while the plurality of the second heat exchangers are functioning as an evaporator; and 
 acquiring a status of the predetermined space and implementing control to defrost the second heat exchanger by using one of the generated plurality of patterns based on the frosted state and the status of the predetermined space. 
   
     
     
         23 . A ventilation method performed by a control unit that controls a ventilation apparatus, the ventilation apparatus including:
 a compressor;   a first heat exchanger configured to function as a condenser or an evaporator;   a first air flow path configured to supply air taken in from outdoors to an indoor space after passing through the first heat exchanger;   a second heat exchanger configured to function as a condenser or an evaporator;   a second air flow path configured to exhaust air taken in from the indoor space to the outdoors after passing through the second heat exchanger; and   a refrigerant circuit through which a refrigerant flows, the refrigerant circuit being connected to the compressor, the first heat exchanger, and the second heat exchanger by a refrigerant pipe, wherein   the control unit executes:
 guiding a flow of air in the indoor space to the second heat exchanger when the second heat exchanger is determined to be in a frosted state to increase a temperature of the second heat exchanger, and 
 outputting a predetermined instruction to an actuator configured to control a state of the refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit to increase a temperature of the refrigerant flowing into the second heat exchanger.